Bringing consumer financial data to life

Client Case Study

+140%

Increase in
Article Frequency

+15,000%

Increase in
Media Mentions

+53M

Readership From
One Influencer Post

Project Overview

BMO, the 8th largest bank in North America based on assets, operates as an autonomous subsidiary under the esteemed multinational institution, Bank of Montreal. Situated in Chicago, the core mission at BMO is to lead the way in advancing the financial well-being of individuals, families, and businesses, with a primary focus on serving the dynamic markets of the Midwest and West Coast. BMO’s dedicated domestic commercial banking team leverages their deep industry knowledge, local insights, and a steadfast commitment to the mid-market segment to provide comprehensive financial solutions across the entire United States.

The Work

Narrative Design

Brand Positioning

Media Relations

Thought Leadership

Competitive Research

Content Strategy

Helping Today’s Consumers and SMB Owners Achieve Financial Progress

BMO aimed to make financial planning more approachable for a wide range of American and Canadian consumers, including small business owners. The objective was to ease financial worries and promote financial growth by encouraging discussions about saving for emergencies, education, retirement, investing, managing debt, establishing good credit, and navigating the housing market.

That’s where we come in. Actual Agency embarked on a mission to find reactive activations that supported BMO’s goal and developed highly visible thought leadership platforms for the company’s top executives. This was partnered with a goal of driving overall brand awareness through a robust and directed media relations program. Our expert strategists pulled together a multi-pronged, quarterly initiative called “The Real Financial Progress Index (RFPI)“ and it made an impact right away.

Driving Meaningful Dialogue in North America Around BMO’s Mission

YoY, the RFPI quarterly survey gains momentum and drives a continued dialogue across the United States and Canada. The survey measures sentiment and attributes around financial progress at the national level with oversampling in local markets. We teamed up with Ipsos, a global market research and consulting company, to conduct research using a set of basic questions. These questions help us build an index that represents people's feelings and thoughts about their actual financial progress in a more simple, articulate way. We then share the report with top media outlets and coordinate interviews and outreach for the BMO team.